Bolbella kaltenbachi, Stiewe, Martin B. D., 2007

Stiewe, Martin B. D., 2007, Two new species of Bolbella Giglio-Tos, 1915 from Southern Africa (Dictyoptera: Mantodea), Zootaxa 1495, pp. 53-60 : 54-55

Bolbella kaltenbachi n. sp.

( Figs. 1 , 3–5)

Type locality. Jericho-Dam, Transvaal, South Africa

Diagnosis (based on male only; female unknown). The new species seems to be most closely related to Bolbella brevis , yet there are many differences: Bolbella kaltenbachi n. sp. possesses four discoidal spines whereas B. brevis exhibits only three. The most dominant differences become obvious by a comparison of the male genitalia. The lateral appendage of the hypophallus of B. brevis is short, unruffled, and resembles a thorn. The subapical spike is of the same size as the lateral thorn ( Fig. 11 ). B. kaltenbachi n. sp. is different in that it possesses a long lateral, unruffled appendage which looks like a long dagger and furthermore has a small medial spike near the right lateral margin ( Fig. 4).

Description. Head. About 1.6x as wide as pronotal supracoxal dilatation, vertex slightly arched and on same height as eyes, frontal scutellum transversal with slightly obtuse-angled dorsal vertex, eyes rounded and wide, ocelli protruding and very large. Antennae finely haired; normal shaped.

Thorax. Pronotum short with recognizable supracoxal dilatation; grained lateral margin with dark tubercles, distinctly sinuate behind supracoxal dilatation. Metazone slightly longer than prozone; weakly keeled. Prozone inconspicuous and even. Forecoxa long, length 0.85x forefemoral length, lateral margin with some short hairs. Maximum forefemoral breadth 0.3x of forefemoral length, claw furrow towards basal part of middle of femur, with four completely developed discoidal spines. The 1st discoidal spine very small, while 2nd and 3rd are noticeably bigger and 4th spine, although bigger than 1st, smaller than 2nd and 3rd. Of the four external spines, the two lower ones closer to each other than the others. Small spines on ventral external margin between external spines. Eight to nine internal spines of different sizes. Foretibiae with eight to nine external and eight internal spines. Middle and hind legs delicate in appearance with dense short hairs, hind metatarsus longer than following segments combined. Wings much longer than abdomen. Tegminae nearly hyaline, about 3.8x longer than wide, with narrow costal area and only some vertical veins, external margin of costal area with short hairs, radial vein distally crotched, subcostal vein clearly distant from radial vein. Hindwings completely hyaline, external margin of costal area with short hairs, longitudinal veins brownish, anterior cubital vein double crotched.

Abdomen. Cylindrical, supra-anal plate wider than long, inconspicuous, subgenital plate with styli. Cerci short but well developed, completely rounded and haired.

Copulatory apparatus. Left epiphallus with well developed phalloid apophysis with two-pronged forklike flagellum ( Fig. 3). Titillator of left epiphallus well developed, like a rounded fist ( Fig. 3). Hypophallus with long, lateral, unruffled dagger-shaped appendage and small medial spike near right lateral margin ( Fig. 4). Right epiphallus inconspicuous, area of fine spines nearby distal margin, apophysis normally developed, left movable part dipper-like ( Fig. 5).

Measurements (mm). Holotype. Width head: 2.45; length prozone: 1.25; length metazone: 1.45; width supracoxal dilatation: 1.5; length forecoxae: 2.9; length forefemora: 3.4; length tegmina: 16.0; Paratype (coll. M. STIEWE): Width head: 2.45; length prozone: 1.25; length metazone: 1.45; width supracoxal dilatation: 1.5; length forecoxae: 2.95; length forefemora: 3.45; length tegmina: 17.0; Paratype (NHMW): see Kaltenbach, 1996, p. 283.

Etymology. Dedicated to and named after the Austrian entomologist Dr. Alfred P. Kaltenbach († 2005). He wrote the monographic letters about Southern African mantids in 1996 and 1998 and was one of the foremost experts of mantids worldwide.

Material examined. Holotype ɗ, SOUTH AFRICA, Transvaal, Jericho-Dam, 15.XII.1992, leg. F. Koch, (deposited in Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ZMB, catalogue number 7955, with genitalia preparation).

Paratype ɗ, SOUTH AFRICA, Eastern Transvaal, Mpumalanga Province, Amsterdam, 1.XII.2000, leg. Schüle, (deposited in coll. M. STIEWE, with genitalia preparation).

Paratype ɗ, SOUTH AFRICA, Transvaal, Marieps Mnt., E. Tvl., 1.1926, G. van Son, (deposited in Museum Vienna NHMW, ex Transvaal Museum Pretoria TMSA, mentioned in Kaltenbach, 1996, p. 283, without abdomen).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Bolbella kaltenbachi n. sp. ♂ Holotype from Transvaal, South Africa, dorsal view. Scale bar = 3.0 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 13. Lateral appendage of hypophallus dorsal view of: 10, Bolbella affinis Kaltenbach, 1996; 11, Bolbella brevis Beier, 1953; 12, Bolbella punctigera (Stål, 1871); 13, Bolbella rhodesiaca Beier, 1930; modified from Beier (1953) & Kaltenbach (1996). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.